Mulches you SHOULD be using

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August 20, 2011 — Enough with the endless warnings about the dangers of wood mulch! Mike McGrath names the mulches you should be using to protect your plants. Plus how to grow Kona coffee organically with Dr. Hans Eckert, owner and operator of Lyman Kona Coffee Farms in Hawaii. And your fabulous phone calls!

I feel that the answers at your website are not specific enough to enable weekend gardeners like me to go to a store and buy the right mulch. Obviously, the “wood mulch crisis” is neither your fault nor responsibility, but it would be helpful if you could provide a clearer answer about what’s OK to buy. Years ago we were very happy with the cocoa shell mulch we used at our house in Santa Fe, but I haven’t been able to find it since. We gardeners need something that will stay down in the wind, not attract animals/rodents, protect against evaporation and not encourage rot or mildew. But when you’re facing multiple choices in a garden center…all recommended by the staff…it’s hard to decide what—if anything—to buy. Get the answer »